Nursing is a high-stress profession with a lot of inherent risks and hazards, and it is also an environment where things may have to happen quickly. All of this increases the odds of an injury on the job.
One of the most significant hazards for workers in this profession comes when they have to lift or assist heavy patients. They may not have time to get other nurses or health care professionals to help them, and they may have very little in the way of equipment. Often, nurses just try to perform the lift to the best of their abilities, but this can cause serious injuries, especially when there is a large weight difference between the nurse and the patient themselves.
The second-most musculoskeletal disorders
To illustrate just how often things like this happen, consider the fact that nursing assistants were found in one study to have the second-highest total number of musculoskeletal disorders during the year. For every 10,000 nurses, 166.3 suffered these injuries. When you look at other industries across the country, you’ll find that health care has an injury rate that is five times that noted anywhere else.
These types of injuries often impact the back and the spine. Healing may be possible in some cases, but it can lead to extensive need for medical treatment and time off of work while the person recovers.
Those who find themselves in this position need to know about all of their rights to workers’ compensation. It can often help them to cover these medical bills, along with the wages that they may be losing during the recovery time. If you’ve been injured on the job, be sure you know what steps to take.